USA > Minnesota > Washington County > History of Washington County and the St. Croix Valley, including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota > Part 85
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year, then returned to his native state, remaining until 1854. Coming to Minnesota in that year, he located at Stillwatter, being interested in lum- bering until 1877. Two years later, he moved to his farm in Marine township. Mr. Staples has been twice married, his second wife was Mrs. Langley, to whom he was married in 1879. He is the parent of four children by his first wife.
John Swenson is a native of Sweden, born in 1828. He came to America in 1854 and settled in Michigan, where he remained two years. He then came to Minnesota, locating on a farm of eighty acres in Marine township. He is a public spirited man and respected citizen; has held the of- fice of supervisor several terms. He enlisted in Company D, Fourth Minnesota, and served until honorably discharged in 1865. He was married to his first wife in Sweden, who died in 1873, leav- ing five children. His present wife was Mrs. Mary Carlson, who has borne him two children.
Nels Thompson was born in Sweden, October 9th, 1847. He learned the carpenter's trade and worked at farming in his native country. He came to America in 1872, and first located at Red Wing, Minnesota, but during the same year came to Marine, where he has since resided, working at his trade. He married in 1876, Mrs. Anna McCraa, who had one child by her first husband,
Hon. Orange Walker, one of the founders of Marine, and one of the most enterprising men in Washington county, was born September 4th, 1803, at St. Albans, Vermont. He is of the old Puritan stock, who were a brave and patriotic people. He supplemented a common school ed- ucation with a few terms at the academy in his native town. At the age of sixteen he left his father's farm, and gave five years apprenticeship at the tanner's and currier's trade, and subse- quently carried on the business two years at Milton, Vermont. In October, 1834, he removed to Jack- sonville Illinois, where he had an interest in a tan- yard. Being in poor health he came with a com- pany of pioneers to the site of Marine, the first white settlers here. Marine was reached May 13th, 1839, and in a few days Mr. Walker had a comfortable log cabin erected-the first in that section-ready for occupancy. Ninety days after, the company had a saw-mill erected and in opera- tion. For about thirty years Mr. Walker has
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resided here engaged in milling, lumbering and merchandising, being an energetic and successful operator. Since 1864 he has been of the firm of Walker, Judd and Veazie, who are carrying on a business of about two hundred thousand dollars annually. For many years after his first location at Marine, there was no post-office nearer than Fort Snelling; finally a mail route was established and Mr. Walker was appointed post-master, which position he held twenty-five years. Sep- tember 16th, 1848, he married Mrs. Georgiana E. Lockwood, nee Barton, of Prescott, Wiscon- sin, a native of Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania.
P. E. Walker was born at St. Albans, .Vermont, 1816. He received his education at the academy of St. Albans, and was superintendent of schools of that place a number of years. He remained at the old homestead until 1848, then moved to Milan, Ohio, where he was superintendent of the public schools and teacher in the higher depart- ments. He came to Minnesota, locating at Ma- rine in 1856. Mr. Walker held the office of county superintendent of schools six years, jus- tice of the peace almost from the time of his arrival to the present, and has also held many of the town offices. In 1837 he married Sarah A. Lewis, of Vermont, by whom he has five chil- dren. She died in 1875. His present wife was Elizabeth Cooley, a native of New Hampshire. .
John G. Ward was born in Philadelphia, 1838. When quite young he moved with his parents to Galena, Illinois. He lost his parents by death at the age of twelve, and in 1851 came alone to Ma- rine, coming on the old steamer Menominee from Galena. He was the first white boy seen on the upper St. Croix. He passed the winters a num- ber of years in the pineries, and remembers very distinctly his great terror of the Indians, who were quite numerous about the camp. In 1870 he married Jessie J. Wishart, of St. Louis, Mis- souri. Four children have been born to them.
Thomas E. Ward was born in New Bedford county, Massachusetts, March 4th, 1838. He moved with his parents to Philadelphia, where he lived eight years; thence to Natchez, Mississippi, about two years. He lived some time in Illinois and Wisconsin, and in 1855 removed to Minne- sota, making Marine his place of residence. Lumbering occupied his time and attention a number of years, and since then he has been in
the employ of Walker, Judd and Veazie as clerk in a general store and on the steamer Knapp. He married, in 1869, Miss Lizzie Coler, a native of Switzerland. They are the parents of four chil- dren.
M. Welshons, a native of Pennyslvania, was born in Westmoreland county in 1818. Here he lived until reaching man's estate and learned the trade of carpenter. In 1843 he removed to Galena, Illinois, where he worked at his trade about four years, then came to St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. He located at Marine, May, 1848, engaging in the pursuit of his trade until 1856. He then embarked in the hotel business, and for nine years was manager of the "Marine" house; then resumed his trade until he built his present hotel, the "St. Croix," which affords ac- commodation for fifty. He was married Novem- ber 12th, 1848, to Mary J. Hooper. They have five children living.
Ole Westergren is a native of Sweden, born in 1825. He served an apprenticeship of four years as a blacksmith in his native country. In 1855 he came to America, making Marine his home, where he worked as a journeyman at his trade two years. He then formed a partnership with Judd and Walker, which endured three years; then he bought the whole, and has continued since alone. Mr. Westergren has held the office of supervisor, and is now a member of the city council. His wife was Anette Polson, to whom he was married in 1852, and who has borne him four children.
John F. Wichman was born in Germany in 1831. Hecame to America at the age of twenty- two, locating at Bunker Hill, Illinois, where he engaged in mason work for two years. He then removed to Stillwater, and the next year to Ma- rine, where he has since resided. In 1870 he purchased his brewery from J. J. Groff, it being the first established in the place. He married Anna Simonson, who has borne him two children, Pauline and Bertram.
Charles Reed was born in Schuyler county, Pennsylvania, in 1831, and remained there until the age of twenty-four years, then removed to Clarion county, and a short time after came to Washington county, Minnesota; took a claim of forty acres, and has since added eighty acres. Married, in 1852, Hettie Hughes.
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STILLWATER-TOPOGRAPHY-FIRST. SETTLERS.
STILLWATER.
CHAPTER LXV.
TOPOGRAPHY -- FIRST SETTLERS -- ORGANIZA- TION-ROADS-POOR FARM-MILLS-SCHOOLS -BIOGRAPHICAL.
The major part of the township is quite hilly and broken. The better and richer portions are to be found in the Lyman settlement, in the north-eastern and the Macey-Boutwell, in the western part, both comprising land well adapted to farming. The township was originally covered with a growth of scrub oaks, which has been cleared off by the settlers.
Brown's creek, which is recognized by the gov- ernment survey, formerly passed over sections 18, 19, 20 and 21, but by John McKusick its course was turned south through sections 28 and 29, by way of McKusick's lake.
Trap Ranch creek, the outlet of Silver lake, enters the river on section sixteen. About forty rods from its source is a water-fall of forty feet. In lowest water the fall is about four feet wide, and in high water twelve feet.
Of the lakes in the township, Silver lake covers about one hundred and fifty acres of land in sec- tions seven and eight. The shores are gravel and the water pure and clear, abounding with fish. Twin lakes, on sections 18, 19 and 20, each oc- cupy about one hundred acres of land and are separated by a narrow ridge, which furnishes room enough to drive on. The north lake is shallow, the other deep and well suppled with fish. Spruce swamp, the only one within an area of about fifty miles, embraces within its limits about one hundred acres. It is situated on sec- tion eighteen and extends into Grant township.
The banks of the river are usually quite ab- rupt. On section fifteen, just before the entrance of Boom Hollow, the walls rise perpendicularly to a height of one hundred feet. A road leads though this hollow, on either side guarded by stately pines.
The first to settle in the township of Stillwa-
ter outside of the limits of the city were, D. P. and C. Storrs Lyman, who were accompanied by their parents, Cornelius and Betsey, the latter making their home with D. P. Previous to the arrival of the family, C. S. Lyman, had visited the country and selected a claim, during the sum- mer of 1843. After making some improvements, he returned to Illinois. In 1844, David P. came up, and the next two years, worked in saw-mills at Stillwater and Marine. Then the two brothers with their parents moved out on the land in 1846. Each of the boys erected a small frame building 16x18 feet, one and one-half stories high, and broke enough land to raise a patch of potatoes. They then divided the land, D. P., taking the lower two hundred and twenty-five acres and C. S., the upper two hundred and forty acres. The next year they broke about thirteen acres. The breaking and planting was all done on the part taken by D. P., the brothers working together. In 1851, C. S. Lyman moved his house from un- der the bluff where it had been built and located it on the present site in section two. This house is now occupied by Benjamin F. Lyman. In 1854, D. P. Lyman moved his house to its pres- ent location, and has since built around it. C. S. Lyman has resided on the farm continually since, but the brother in 1858, went to Marine, and part of the time since has made it his home.
Charles Macey staked out a claim in 1845, but did not immediately move on it. The next summer, while at work in the mill, he learned that Walter Vail was breaking upon the land, and immediately went out to the place. Remon- strating with Vail, his objections were answered by the remark that there was plenty of land for all. As Vail did not seem willing to respect Macey's claim, the latter compelled him to mark out a claim. Macey then marked out a new farm on section 19, and vowed vengeance against any future intruders. However, he did not per- manently reside there until in 1849, then batch- ing until 1854, when he married Sarah Van Tas- sell, and has reared a large family.
W. T. Boutwell, in 1848, bought W. R. Vail's claim on section nineteen, and immediately be- gan preparations to build, and in the fall com- pleted a comfortable home, 18x24 feet, one and one-half stories high, and cellar. A few years ago this house was replaced by the large and
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
elegant dwelling of Mr. Jones, son-in-law of Mr. Boutwell, who resides with him.
Sebastian Marty, came to Stillwater in 1845, and for a time served as assistant cook in McKu- sick's boarding house. In 1848 he made a claim in section thirty-two, broke about two and one- half acres and made some other improvements. In the spring of 1850, his pre-emption right was purchased by H. A. Jackman, who, in 1851, built the house in which he has since resided. Marty then went to Lakeland, where he has since re- sided, on section thirty near Horse Shoe lake.
William Rutherford built a log shanty on sec- tion 30, in 1849. In the fall of that year, he went east and in his absence the house was burned. The site of this residence is now occu- pied by the cemetery. As Mr. Rutherfard had done all his breaking in Grant township, he re- built on that part of his claim, and has since resided there.
Dr. James Covey made a claim on section 2, and part of his time was engaged in making im- provements. He died in 1851, from the effects of a cold contracted while sleeping in a newly plastered room, and the property was divided among his nephews S. and P. Trask. The place is now owned by the heirs of John Mower and A. Foss.
John J. McKensie took a claim on section two, in 1848. He resided on it until 1872, when he went to Montana territory and engaged in stock growing. Among the other early settlers who lo- cated in this township are many who have owned or now own property in and about the city of Still- water. Of these were Joseph R. Brown, the famous pioneer, Jacob Fisher and Alexander Wilcox. The latter entered a claim in 1848, and made some improvements. Soon after, he was arrested and convicted of a dangerous assault but escaped and left the country, his property; was sold to Rev. Mr. Carl, and finally to Steele and Thorne, who laid it out into town lots, and it now is mostly occupied by the city race- course.
The first white child born in the township out- side of the city limits was Emily A., daughter of C. S. Lyman. She was born in October, 1846, and is now Mrs. Alcorn. The next was Hattie B., a daughter of W. T. Boutwell, born in Decem- ber, 1848. She was married, but got a divorce
and is now a teacher in St. Paul. The first mar- riage was that of A. Click and Jane Sample, which took place in the spring of 1853. They are now living near Faribault, in well-to-do cir- cumstances. The next was that of Charles Ma- cey and Sarah Van Tassell. The first death was that of Betsey, daughter of C. Storrs Lyman, oc- curring in 1846, the next was that of Dr. Covey in the fall of 1850.
The first election was held at the house of the late Samuel Hoffman, in what is now a portion of the city of Stillwater, April 3d, 1860. Cornelius Lyman was chosen moderator, and Howard Pack- ard, W. T. Boutwell and D. P. Lyman, were judges of election. The first officers of the town chosen were, Cornelius S. Lyman, Howard Pack- ard, Henry A. Jackman, supervisors; Sylvanus Trask, clerk; Wallace Rutherford, treasurer; J. C. Gardner, assessor; C. S. Lyman, W. T. Boutwell, justices of the peace; Daniel Houstin, W. T. Bishop, constables.
The supervisors and clerks have since been as follows :
Supervisors: 1861, '62, '63, '64-C. S. Lyman, H. A. Jackman and H. Packard; 1865, '66, '67, '68, '69, '70-C. S. Lyman, H. A. Jackman and R. Smith; 1871, '72, '73-C. S. Lyman, R. Smith and J. Kilty. 1874-J. W. Wheeler, Andrew Rich- mond and R. Smith; 1875, '76, '77, '78-Andrew Richmond, H. C. Lyman and Fred Roche; 1879- Andrew Richmond, Albert Foss, Fred. Jarchow; 1880-Andrew Richmond, Fred. Jarchow, Patrick Whalen.
Clerks: 1861 to '67 inclusive-Sylvanus Trask; 1868 to '72 inclusive-J. C. Gardner; 1873, L. R. Cornman; 1874 to '80-John Kilty.
At the annual meeting held April 2d, 1866, it was voted to raise $1,200 by taxation for bounty to soldiers who had enlisted from the town.
The United States government road was laid out in 1848, leaving the town by section two. The town then opened a road connecting this with a county road which is one and one-half miles east. This road runs along the south boundary line of sections two and three.
Washington county poor farm. This institu- tion embraces in all two hundred and seven acres of land which lie in sections five and six. Eighty- seven acres are in the former section, and one hundred and twenty in the latter. The site was
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STILLWATER-MILLS-SCHOOLS.
purchased in 1858 for the county by Harvey Wil- son, clerk of the court. The buildings are in sections six, and will accommodate thirty in- mates. The main structure is 34x36 feet, two and one half stories high, and to this have been added a kitchen 16x30 feet on the west end, which was afterward removed to the north to make place for a one and one-half story wing 22x 30, erected in 1878. The main building contains twelve chambers; the wing, a sitting-room, dining- room and four chambers. On the farm are two barns, one of which, the old one, is used as a storing place for machinery and grain. The new one, built in 1879, is 50x65 feet, with twenty- foot posts. It will house forty head of cattle and one hundred tons of hay. It is a well built, ven- tilated and drained structure, conveniently near to Lake Louisa, which supplies water for the stock. The lake, which is well supplied with fish, covering about six acres, touches the farm on the north. About one hundred acres of the farm are under cultivation.
The first overseer was H. Packard, who was succeeded in 1864 by Thomas J. Withrow, and in the fall of the same year Andrew Richmond took charge. In 1870 A. J. Soule was appointed, and after serving one year was succeeded by Mr. Richmond, who has since held the position; he is assisted by his wife. At first there were but from one to three inmates; at present the number is ten. The greatest number was in 1868-twen- ty-two. They are apparently contented, and en- joy clean, well kept apartments, and good whole- some food.
WASHINGTON FLOUR-MILL.
This mill was built by Rutherford and Booth, in 1857, on section nine. It is 40x40 feet, three stories high and originally contained. but two run of stone, one for flour, the other for feed, operated by a thirty-foot breast water-wheel. In 1859, John Rutherford purchased Booth's share, and nntil 1867 operated the concern alone. The latter year A. Brosious purchased one-half interest, and one year later the whole establish- ment. He then replaced the breast-wheel by a twenty-inch American turbine, and also added a smut machine. The property was purchased in . January, 1871, by J. R. Stussi, who put in a new race and dam, which increased the fall from
twenty-five to twenty-nine feet. In 1875 he added a new purifier and an extra bolting ma- chine, and in 1880, replaced the American by a fifteen-inch Leffel, also adding another run of stone. The mill produces fifteen barrels of flour per day, and has a capacity of four hundred bushels of feed.
SCHOOLS.
A petition dated January 9th, 1851, signed by W. T. Boutwell and others, praying that the west half of sections 17, 20 and 29, and the whole of sections 18, 19 and 30, in township 30, range 20, and township 30, range 21, be formed into a school district, was presented to the board of county commissioners, and by them granted. At the first meeting in the district, William Rutherford was chosen moderator, Abion Masterman clerk, and the following officers elected: W. T. Bout- well, James Rutherford, and Chas. Macey clerk. The first term of school was commenced in the spring of 1852. There were ten scholars at- tending, and after teaching two months the teacher, Miss Cynthia Pond, quit, and Hester C. Boutwell finished the term. In. the summer of 1868 the present school-house was erected accom- modating about seventy pupils. During the past winter the attendance was about thirty-five. The present. officers are Edward R. Jones, director; Albion Masterman, treasurer; J. B. Taft, clerk.
School district number five was organized in June, 1861, and the following elected as trustees: J. R. Hathaway, director; Edward Coffin, clerk; Howard Packard, treasurer. The first teacher, Miss Emma Prescott, was paid thirteen dollars per month and board. The school-house was built in the fall of 1863, on section number five. In the fall of 1870 it was burned, and the next year rebuilt at a cost of six hundred dollars. In October, 1874, it was voted to move the building one-half a mile north of its location, on the same section. The present officers are: John Daley, director; John Kilty, clerk; Andrew Richmond, treasurer.
School district number fifty-five was organized in 1873. At the first meeting held October 10th the officers elected were: W. Van Tassell, di- rector; L. R. Cornman, treasurer; J. W. Wheeler, clerk. The house is situated on the north-west quarter of section twenty, and was built in the fall of 1874, at a cost of $1,000. The present of-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
ficers are: J. W. Wheeler, director; J. A. Smith, clerk; John McGuire, treasurer.
District number eight was organized in June, 1861, and a house costing four hundred dollars built the following fall. It is situated on ground donated by H. A. Jackman in section thirty-two. The first officers were: H. A. Jackman, director; J. C. Gardner, clerk; Fred Shaser, treasurer. The present officers are: Philip Miller, director; H. A. Jackman, clerk; Fred Bloomer, treasurer.
District number fifty-two was organized in 1870, a site donated by F. J. Curtis on section nine, and a house erected that year. The first officers were: Reuben Smith, clerk; F. J. Curtis, di- rector; William Douglas, treasurer. The present officers are: Theodore Jarchow, treasurer; E. W. Rutherford, clerk; F. J. Curtis, director.
District number six was organized in 1861, the site donated by Socrates Nelson and a house erected soon afterward. The first officers were: John J. McKensie, director; S. Trask, clerk; Wallace Rutherford, treasurer. The present of- ficers are: D. P. Lyman, director; T. C. Clark, clerk; H. C. Lyman, treasurer.
Boom quarry, on section fifteen, was opened in 1868 by Seymour, Sabin and Company.
Home cemetery consists of an half acre donated to the use of the neighborhood by William Ruth- erford, whose child was the first buried in it.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
John D. Apmann is a native of Germany, born in 1820. He was educated in his native country, and at the age of seventeen, apprenticed as a carpenter, serving three years. He was then called into the military service of his country for eight years, but after serving five years was granted a release, subject however, to be recalled. He traveled as a journeyman mechanic through the provinces of Germany and Holland. In 1851, he married Miss Gisine Evers, and the next year they crossed to America, locating at Galena, Illi- nois, after a journey of fifty-two days. Soon after they removed to Iowa, spending a number of years in farming and at his trade. He came to Stillwater in 1861, and in 1870, moved to his present farm. He lias a very fine house which he planned and built. Mr. and Mrs. Apmann have four children: Mary, Annie, Lizzie and John.
Sebastian Bloomer, a native of Switzerland, was born in 1850. When a small child, he came to America with his parents. After a brief stay in Chicago, they came farther west to Stillwater, locating at Baytown. Here he was educated and made his home with his parents until the spring of 1873, when he bought a farm in this township of one hundred and fifty acres. This farm is pleasantly located with good buildings, and on which Mr. Bloomer has since resided. His wife was Miss Matilda Wolf, whom he mar- ried in 1878. They have one son and one daughter.
Hiram Calkins was born in Cayuga county New York, 1815. At ten years of age, he accompa- nied his parents to Genesee county, where he re- mained until coming west. His earlier educa- tion was obtained in the common schools, finish- ing with a course at Wyoming Academy, after which he taught school. In 1838, he came west- ward to the territory of Wisconsin, then embrac- ing Iowa and Minnesota. After a long journey performed in such ways as he could at that early day, he reached and settled in Delavan township, on a farm, remaining four years. He then went to Exeter, thence to Warsaw, where he practiced law, also occupying the offices of judge, district attorney, school superintendent, etc. In 1861, he enlisted in Company B, First Wisconsin Cav- alry, and was discharged on account of disability in 1864. The same year, he was appointed United States land office receiver at St. Croix Falls where he remained until 1869. He located in Stillwater township in 1872 on a fruit farm, and market gar- den. His marriage to Miss Phebe Rood took place in 1838.
Frederick J. Curtis is a native of Ireland, born 1818. His younger days were passed in the land of his nativity and at the age of twenty-five came to America. He had previously learned the trade of boot and shoe making, and after his arrival in New York, he followed his trade in the employ of Right Reverend Bishop Hughes, at the Man- hattanville convent. He spent some time in New Orleans and St. Louis, afterward locating at Still- water. He has since been engaged in the pur- suit of bis trade, also dealing in horses. In the spring of 1859 he moved to his present farm of three hundred and sixty acres, having about two hundred and fifty acres under cultivation, Mr. Curtis has held several public offices; was deputy
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STILLWATER-BIOGRAPHICAL.
sheriff two years, one of the first police of the city of Stillwater, town treasurer and school director at the present time. He married Miss Bridget Fenton in 1849, who has borne him thirteen child- ren. The living are: Elizabeth, Daniel, Mary, Thomas, Maggie, Ellen B. and James. .
Albert Foss was born in New Hampshire, 1822. In his infancy his parents removed to Maine and here his youthful days were spent. During the fall of 1855 he came to Stillwater, and five years later he purchased a farm in the township. In 1865 he enlisted in the engineer corps, serving un- til honorably discharged in September of the same year. Returning to Stillwater he married Miss Mary Clara, the same year, and soon after they removed to their farm. In 1868 Mrs. Foss died. His present wife was Mrs. Caroline Kimburk who has borne him one daughter, Hermie.
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